With winter comes ice-skating season, but with the warm weather also comes sketchy ice conditions.
“Retention ponds around town tend to fluctuate, so we don’t want to see people playing on the ice around there because when they lower and raise it can give a false sense of (security),” said Jeff Avery, safety codes officer and Cochrane firefighter. “The ponds are not set up for skating, it is just for the retention of water and not to be skated on.”
Mitford outdoor rink is the only official ice-skating pond in Cochrane, provided the signage posted says it is OK to skate on. The Town of Cochrane tests the thickness and quality of ice for skaters to ensure safety throughout the season.
As for other retention ponds throughout town, they should be avoided at all costs, Avery advises.
“It might seem like the ice on top is quite thick but underneath that ice might be a foot void of thin ice and a layer of water, so it is quite dangerous,” Avery explained. “If there is even a foot of ice, even only two feet deep, you can still fall through and underneath.”
Officials also warn that any ice around the river should always be avoided due to the instability of the ice.
“At no time should anyone be walking on ice around the river,” Avery said.
It is possible for farmers to build their own skating ponds with the right precautions.
“If farmers are making ice ponds they should definitely know what is underneath,” Avery said.
If the farmer has a shallow pond and the ice completely freezes over then it would be OK to skate on, provided the farmer also tests out the thickness of the ice in a couple areas to ensure the same level of thickness all throughout.
“People can get into trouble even with a foot of water underneath,” Avery warned. “Outdoor ice is extremely dangerous – if someone is running or skating along, there could be an open area where their whole body can go underneath.”
If any person was to fall in or under the ice, Avery said they should try to self-rescue themselves while (if any) bystanders call 9-1-1.
“Do not try to walk out on the ice and rescue that person – we will be responding with our ice rescue team and we will do everything we can to get that person out,” Avery said.
For more information on the Cochrane outdoor rink, call the Town of Cochrane at 403-851-2552.
Skate safe this season.
